Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for controlling a displayed interface. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for controlling a displayed interface based on aspects of a touch operation performed on a touch panel.
Description of Related Art
On recent mobile devices, data displayed on a touch panel display screen may be selected by performing an input operation on an operation surface of the touch panel. For example, a character displayed on the touch panel may be selected by touching the operation surface of the touch panel at a position corresponding to the displayed character string. Moreover, a selection range of one or more character strings may be adjusted on the touch panel by moving an instruction object, such as a user's finger, on the operation surface of the touch panel by maintaining contact with the operation surface.
However, due to relative size differences between objects typically used as instruction objects (i.e. fingers) and data (e.g., text) displayed on mobile device touch panel screens, there exists a problem in that it is difficult to precisely select data displayed on a touch panel and/or adjust a selection range of data displayed on the touch panel using touch operations. For example, it is especially difficult to select a character string range in one character increments. In order to address the difficulties in performing data selection on mobile device touch panels, and in particular selection of a range of a character string, a portion of a display may be enlarged when the touch operation is performed, or features of displayed items (e.g., cursors) indicating a starting and/or endpoint of a character string may be adjusted (e.g. enlarged). However, instruction objects such as user's fingers typically still hide character strings during range selection, even when a portion of a display is enlarged during selection, thereby precluding confirmation that selection of a character string was performed accurately. Moreover, it is also difficult when a portion of a display is enlarged during range selection/alteration for a user to change a selection range in large increments and/or at high speeds. Moreover, in the method in which aspects of displayed items indicating a starting and/or endpoint of a character string (e.g. “knobs” included on a displayed cursor) are adjusted, it still becomes difficult to move enlarged portions of cursors over a small range, thereby making fine adjustments of a selection range of characters difficult. Further, previous methods do not provide for performing both fine and coarse adjustments of a character string selection range using the same gesture.